


Dream Date

by Shoulderpads



Series: Edling Week 2018 [3]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Dorks in Love, First Dates, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 07:19:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14971970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shoulderpads/pseuds/Shoulderpads
Summary: It only takes maybe two years for these boys to go on a proper date.





	Dream Date

**Author's Note:**

> Endling Week Day 4- Firsts

"This is the worst first date ever..." Ling groaned, laying on his back with his arms folded across his chest. 

Ed choked, "First date?!"

"Yeah! You're supposed to take me to a fancy restaurant where I could order steak or something!"

Ed poked the little fire, "You're crazy if you think I'd ever take you to a restaurant."

"But no!" Ling continued as if he hadn't heard the other boy, "I'm sitting on an island in an ocean of blood in a never ending hellscape lit only by your boss's fire, and my hair is matted with some dead person's insides!" He sat up and pointed at Ed, "And what do I get instead of steak? A boot! What will everyone back home say about that? A prince of Xing lowered himself to boot eating!"

"I think they'd be more horrified about the endless void stomach, personally," Ed deadpanned. 

The anger drained from Ling's body, "They're never going to hear about it anyway," he pulled his knees to his chest, "We're going to die here..." he whispered. 

Ed slammed down his fire poker and made Ling jump, "What did I tell you about giving up and the people waiting for you?"

"I was kind of delirious with hunger at that point, forgive me if it didn't sink in all the way," Ling sneered. 

A hand landed on Ling's shoulder and gave it a squeeze, he looked up at Ed's sincere eyes, "We're just taking a little break. We'll continue searching soon. Worse comes to worse, we'll eat my other boot."

Ling's lips twitched, "You don't have athlete's foot on that foot either, do you?"

Ed shoved him. 

\--

"That did not count as our first date," Ed spoke plainly. 

"How about this?" Ling mused. 

"Well I wouldn't call this a restaurant, or this can of beans steak, also you have twigs in your hair," Ed reached out and picked the stick out of Ling's hair. 

"You said you wouldn't take me to a restaurant anyway," Ling laughed. 

"I don't have the money for that kind of date," Ed shook his head. 

"What kind of date would you take someone on if life was normal and you could choose?" 

Ed thought for a moment, "Probably a museum? Hey!" He snapped when Ling burst out laughing, "What's that for?!"

Ling curled over with his face pressed into Ed's neck, "You're such a nerd! What's next? Reading shoulder to shoulder at the library?"

"Knock it off!" Ed pushed him back, "Like you could do better, asshole."

"You bet I could. If I could choose anything, regardless money or distance, I'd take my date through my favorite marketplace in Xing, right before sunset to watch street performers, before taking them through the shops at dark when the road is lit by lanterns of many colors. We'd dine on street food, and look at handcrafted trinkets and art. Afterwards, we'd dance the night away until we were breathless and tired. Then we'd watch the stars as the breeze dried our sweat and cooled our skin."

"Wow you've really thought about this," Ed said softly. 

Ling smiled sadly, eyes looking beyond Ed at the sky above, "Yeah. I liked to imagine this kind of stuff a lot as a kid. Lan Fan said I should make poetry of it. Maybe someday. I don't know why I thought of it so much though, it's not like I ever thought I'd be in love."

"'Thought?'" Ed asked cautiously. 

Ling met his gaze, "Yeah?"

"Like, you don't think that anymore?" 

Ling's grin turned lopsided before kissing Ed's cheek, "Let's get back to camp before Darius and Heinkel think we're naughty boys."

\--

"How is he?"

Ed turned around at the voice at the door. Ling and Lan Fan stood there still in their torn and bloodied clothes from the previous day. They both looked exhausted, and a sorrow clung to them, unsurprisingly. Moving his eyes lower, he saw Mei with her big eyes fixed on Al. 

Ed glanced back at his brother, sleeping peacefully for the first time in years, "Good. I thought you guys would already be gone."

"Lan Fan hurt her arm, so we had that checked out first," he paused momentarily, "We wanted to say good bye as well."

Mei ran forward then with a dramatic cry, "Oh, Alphonse! I'll miss you so much!" She draped her arms over his shoulders and hugged him before turning sharply to Ed, "And you! Make sure he writes!"

Ed chuckled, "I'll remind him."

Lan Fan shook his hand, "Take care of yourself."

He nodded, "You too. You remember all the maintenance stuff, the oil and t-"

"Yes, I'll remember," Lan Fan stopped him with a soft smile, "As if you're one to talk about caring for automail."

Ling came over and hugged Ed tight to his chest, "When Al gets better, come to Xing and I'll take you on the most extravagant date of your life," he whispered in Ed's ear. 

He pulled away beaming as if he hadn't just sent shivers up Ed spine, "Ok, be sure to write!" He waved and before Ed realized it, they were gone. 

\--

When Edward Elric showed up with his much healthier looking brother over a year later, Emperor Yao cleared his schedule, let his bun fall into a ponytail, and changed into more casual clothes. 

"Ready for our date?" Ling asked, standing in the doorway of Ed's room. 

Ed brightened at the sight. Ling had looked so different when the brothers arrived. He'd smiled his usual giant grin, but his clothes looked so heavy, and having his hair up made him look so much older. He also seemed weighed down and serious, but seeing him now, in a wide stance with his hands on his hips, with light clothing, and flowing hair brought a pang of nostalgia to Ed for a time when he'd just met Ling, cocky and self assured as ever. 

"You remembered," Ed put down whatever he was unpacking, "But I thought you wanted to start your dream date at dusk."

"Ah, and you remembered that," Ling stepped into the room, "This date is an Edward Elric special."

Ed raised a brow, "Alright. Just let me get my coat."

Ling led Ed about the streets around the palace, pointing out interesting facts and sights until they reached a decorated building. The building's receptionist smiled at Ling and waved him on to the rooms full of statues and pottery. 

"Is...is this a museum?" Ed asked incredulously. 

"Only the finest in Xing."

Ed punched his arm, "I thought you said I was a nerd!"

Ling laughed, "And you are! But your my nerd."

"Sap."

"Let me know if you want any plaques read."

After the museum, which Ed thoroughly enjoyed, the two made their way to a plaza where entertainers performed in the dying light of the day. Ling pressed some coins into Ed's hands to tip whoever he saw fit, be it the contortionist, tightrope walker, jugglers, or anything in between. 

The tiny shops set up along the street housed many smells and Ling easily filled the spaces between his fingers with skewers of food for himself and for Ed to try. The lanterns bathed Ling in a rainbow of colors, and reflexed off Ed's shiny hair as the pair passed and out of shops laughing and catching up. 

"We don't have to go dancing if you don't want to," Ling offered once they ran out tents. 

Ed shrugged, "You took me to that museum, so we can go dancing, but you can't laugh at me!" he pointed stiffly. 

As Ling suspected, Ed wasn't much for dancing. He was worse off than someone with two left feet, after all, he had no left feet, but Ling led him easily through the steps, and Ed learned rather quickly. Maybe it wasn't the sweeping show of skill Ling might've dreamt up, but it was a chance to be close to Ed and feel his warmth through the back of his shirt. It was a chance to stumble around and laugh like the kids they were supposed to be, until Ed stepped on Ling with his automail. 

One bag of ice later had them sitting on a hill gazing at the stars. 

"The sky is different here."

Ling hummed, "Yes, it was very strange to see the sky when I first came to Amestris."

"It's still beautiful, of course."

"Mmhmm."

"Hey Ling?" Ed said after a few minutes of silence.

"Hm?"

"This really was the most extravagant date I've been on."

"So this counts as a first date?"

"Absolutely."

**Author's Note:**

> If I post it at 11:40, it still counts!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Feedback makes my heart soar!
> 
> Come yell about these dorks with me at Shoulderpads-McGee2 on tumblr :^)


End file.
